[News] Late For Work 5/20: Ravens Still Thin At Two Positions

[BR News]

Perriman wild-card pick for ROY. Dolphins made Ravens look smart. Kicking rules could change even more.

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[stixfix69]

Only thing Tannehill's contract did was give Flacco a little more leverage when he will be asked to restructure his deal....Can't belief the Fins are giving this guy that kind of money for zero playoff wins...

[rmcjacket23]

Ugh.... completely misleading article.

 

1. If the contract plays out as presently assembled, Tannehill gets $96M over the next SIX years. He was already signed through 2016 after the Dolphins picked up his fifth year option. Therefore, the average annual salary is NOT $19.25M over that span... it is $16M, which puts him significantly below Joe in AAV.

 

2. His contract is very similar to the Dalton/Kaepernick deals, in that they are essentially "pay as you go", particulary after year 2-3. Most of his "$45M guaranteed" is in the form of annual roster bonuses, which the team could decline if they choose to, meaning they are NOT guaranteed. The Dolphins could get out from under that deal after year 2, having only paid and owed him about $30M.

 

3. Its sort of debatable whether this makes the Ravens look smart or the Dolphins look smart. If you were to compare the two QBs statistically in their first three years, it looks like this:

 

Tannehill: 62% comp pct, 234 yards/gm, 63 TDs, 53 turnovers

Flacco: 62% comp pct, 213 yards/gm, 60 TDs, 42 turnovers

 

So while the turnovers are significantly higher for Tannehill, everywhere else, its eerily similar. And yes, the biggest difference between the two is both team and postseason success, but then again, that matters a ton of you're in the camp that gives 100% of the credit for team success to a QB, which this fanbase is particularly gracious at.

 

Put simply, the likelihood of the Dolphins finding a better QB than Tannehill in the near future is slim to none, and paying $16M for a QB in the present day NFL isn't really even that high of a price tag.

[SSJ3FinalFlash]

Hahahaha the media can keep on hating....because we'll keep on winning!!!

GO RAVENS!!!!

[rmcjacket23]

Only thing Tannehill's contract did was give Flacco a little more leverage when he will be asked to restructure his deal....Can't belief the Fins are giving this guy that kind of money for zero playoff wins...

Probably because they see what everybody else sees... he's not the problem. You can't win playoff games if you don't get there, and the Dolphins under Tannehill haven't.

 

Yet, as I posted already, his regular season stats are very similar to Flacco's in his first three years. So if we are acknowledging that Tannehill and Flacco are largely similar QBs in their first three years, how can we then knock Tannehill for not winning postseason games? If we do, aren't we basically acknowledging that Flacco had little impact on this team making the playoffs in the first three years, and that its was, wait for it, a TEAM effort?

[Crusader]

"Zrebiec dubbed pass rusher as the second thinnest position group," I said in the last post that the defense will have problems with the run with Ngata gone and now this comes out. There will be a lot of confusion as new players try to get comfortable playing with each other over the long season on defense. The offense will not have this problem but offense's don't win championships.

[mettro79]

Like we need the Dolphins to make us look smart. I believe from top to bottom our organization has been looking smart for a very long time, way before Tannehill's questionable extension.

[BmoreB]

Adam Schefter on Kraft: "Because he is a league man... he will go along with the punishment 'reluctantly.'"... No, not because he is a league man it's because he knows Brady & Company are guilty as charged. #cheetas

[salamander]

Kraft is posturing that he took the "high road" to accept this unfair punishment to his team for the good of the league. Blah, blah.... What is behind this smoke screen is that in his desperate inquiries to find ways to defeat the ruling on appeal, Kraft probably went from bad to worse.... finding out that the Pats would only dig themselves a deeper grave. A nice spin on "guilty as charged".

[rmcjacket23]

Kraft is posturing that he took the "high road" to accept this unfair punishment to his team for the good of the league. Blah, blah.... What is behind this smoke screen is that in his desperate inquiries to find ways to defeat the ruling on appeal, Kraft probably went from bad to worse.... finding out that the Pats would only dig themselves a deeper grave. A nice spin on "guilty as charged".

Or, he got the "wink and nod" treatment from Goodell in regards to Brady's inevitable reduced punishment, and Kraft realizes that losing Brady for only two games as compared to four is worth the $1M fine and the loss of a late first round draft pick.

[ken_j]

Marshal Yanda is will be 31 in September and carries an $8.4 Million cap hit this year; Osemele will be 26 in June with a $1.06 Million cap hit this year. According to some reports, Yanda wants as much or more than he is making now and will probably not be disposed to giving a "home town discount." Despite the sentiment expressed in this article, I look to the case of Haloti Ngata (which is similar to Yanda's situation) and would not be surprized if the Ravens let Yanda go in free agency and retain the younger (and equally versatile) Kelechi Osemele.

[PolishRifle]

I wish we could stop bringing up Joe's contract, whenever some team signs their QB to a huge deal. It sounds needlessly defensive as if we're insecure about the contract we gave him. We're lucky to have Joe, lets just lean back and enjoy winning, which is something Flacco is really good at.

BTW, Palmer, Dalton and Kaep over Matt Ryan? Not the biggest fan of his, but that is ridiculous. Brunell is wrong.

Edited May 20, 2015 by PolishRifle

[RRRRRavens]

I have a more interesting idea for the boring PAT problem. When a team lines up for the PAT in the usual position have the opposing QB on the sideline with another football. When the game football is kicked the QB will throw his football, trying to hit the game football before it goes through the uprights and knock it off course. Sort of like hunting quail or grouse. I originally imagined using a shotgun loaded with birdshot but I thought that might be hard on balls, not to mention fans seated opposite the man with the shotgun. But then I guess they could always sell those seats at a discount.

[stixfix69]

Schefter is a tool, no innocent man takes the high road when draft picks are taken, if anything you fight the good fight, and try to lessen the punishment whether your guilty or innocent, he threw in the towel, and is taking the full punishment....

[Mystigo_Dragon]

"Zrebiec dubbed pass rusher as the second thinnest position group, citing unproven depth behind Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil."

 

Okay, if this is true,... I get the money woes last January and February when the word came out that Purnell McPhee was, as usual here, "too expensive" according to the FO; soon to be "overpaid if he leaves" according to some,....

What will we do when Courtney Upshaw blossoms into a beast similar to McPhee, JJohnson, Kruger,... ya know, guys we thrain up and then discard?

 

For once, we need to keep one of these guys! 

Edited May 20, 2015 by Mystigo_Dragon

[stixfix69]

I understand why people think the Safety position and pass rushing positions are thin, we have rookie replacements or FA signing to replace players we have lost, or wanting to upgrade, and until we see them in action it will be difficult at this point and time to have a clear cut conclusion of where we stand at those positions....We have to wait until they put on the pads, and pre-season games to see how they play in our system....

[ken_j]

"Zrebiec dubbed pass rusher as the second thinnest position group," I said in the last post that the defense will have problems with the run with Ngata gone and now this comes out. There will be a lot of confusion as new players try to get comfortable playing with each other over the long season on defense. The offense will not have this problem but offense's don't win championships.

Good point Crusader; Ngata was immovable but I worry as much about stopping the short passes in the middle of the field. Teams like the Patriots, Chiefs, Broncos and others use those short passes to slot receivers, Tight Ends and backs as an extension of their running game. Brandon Williams, who is probably expected to take Ngata's role is 3" shorter and about 10-15 lbs lighter. Ngata could get the push to limit the QB's ability to step up in the pocket and long enough arms to knock passes down or intercept them. Williams might have some problems doing either of those things.

[stixfix69]

IMO, Brandon Williams is the key to our D-Line, in a 3-4 the NT has to have the ability to cave the interior line, or at least get a good push, if doesn't do that, or get the constant double team Ngata got, we may see more of a 4-3 defensive set....Losing Ngata might be viewed as a subtle move, but he did so much in the trenches....Brandon has the opportunity to really shine this year...

[salamander]

I have a more interesting idea for the boring PAT problem. When a team lines up for the PAT in the usual position have the opposing QB on the sideline with another football. When the game football is kicked the QB will throw his football, trying to hit the game football before it goes through the uprights and knock it off course. Sort of like hunting quail or grouse. I originally imagined using a shotgun loaded with birdshot but I thought that might be hard on balls, not to mention fans seated opposite the man with the shotgun. But then I guess they could always sell those seats at a discount.

is it safe to presume you are just kidding? Looks like someone took you seriously. Is this a LOL moment or do we need to get the straight jackets? LOL.... hopefully.

[trevorsteadman]

Only thing Tannehill's contract did was give Flacco a little more leverage when he will be asked to restructure his deal....Can't belief the Fins are giving this guy that kind of money for zero playoff wins...

I agree that Flacco may use it as leverage when he goes to the front office for a restrucutre this next coming offseason but I can believe the Dolphins would do this move. I don't blame them. They have been a middle tier team for how many years now? You can't just let players walk out the door or you will never have a competitive team. They overpaid Tannehill but he is a solid quarterback and if they let him go think of what free agents or rookies are out there to start for the Dolphins. They needed to start somewhere to get back into the mix in the AFC East. 

[stixfix69]

i see a lot more goal line stands in practice this year....This takes the fake FG out of the equation for extra point attempts...

[stixfix69]

Trevorsteadman, i believe they had a 5th year option on Tannehill, i probably would have waited to see what he did this year, just a big commitment for at this time a average QB....

[JustinB]

I am really starting to hate the NFL. Just not the ravens

[towens2921]

Rookie of the year? Who cares. What matters is who makes the playoffs. We are thin at safety, but we signed an undrafted safety and the corner we drafted is 6' 2", so he could move to safety in a pinch. We could also pick up a cap-casualty safety late, like we did with Dumervil. We do need another pass rusher, so that we are two deep at both end positions.

[TorryGundy]

Yanda situation is not really that dire. If we sign him this year, part of our next three year crystal ball comes into place. Next year the 10 Million dead money to Rice will be gone and we already have Joe's salary accounted for. So if Yanda does not sign now, and we move on to someone else to extend, when we enter next off season, we have a great deal of useful options to free up money to keep both. Ozzie will not let us get weak up the middle again.

[trevorsteadman]

Trevorsteadman, i believe they had a 5th year option on Tannehill, i probably would have waited to see what he did this year, just a big commitment for at this time a average QB....

They could have but the Dolphins are thinking about in 2-3 years not this year. This contract extension shows that the Dolphins think that Tannehill may play his way into an even higher contract if they were to use his 5th year option. If Tannehill throws 4500 yards next season with 20 touchdowns you know how many teams will be wanting to sign him and how extreme teams will go? Look at Cutler's contract. Tannehill would have gotten almost this money anyway next offseason if he just started every game and played just as well as last season. Matt Ryan got paid more than Flacco and he has only won 1 play off game his entire career with some of the most talented receivers in the league. Quarterbacks just get paid that much today and if you don't they will walk to other teams. 

[TorryGundy]

Ken_J, I dont know if you ever saw Brandon Williams, He is a massive DT. To the point that he played the nose while Ngata plaed DE. We have an amazing TRUE nose.

[budman]

Or, he got the "wink and nod" treatment from Goodell in regards to Brady's inevitable reduced punishment, and Kraft realizes that losing Brady for only two games as compared to four is worth the $1M fine and the loss of a late first round draft pick.

exactly! Brady gets 2 games or dare to say just 1. That would seem to be the deal that was "Hugged" out.

Edited May 20, 2015 by budman

[stixfix69]

Time will tell if Tannehill was worth 96 mil, and 45 mil guaranteed, but for me with his best year being a 8-8 season, i would have waited another year before i shelled out that kind cheddar...

[stixfix69]

I highly doubt Kraft fell on his sword to try to get Brady a reduction in suspension, for two reasons...First, most FO would gladly sit a player out for 2 games if Brady's suspension was reduced from 2 games instead of 4 for the draft picks they lost...Second, the Patriots will be around a lot longer than Brady's career, and the black eye that organization will have for years would have been worth fighting for if he felt they were 100% innocent of all the accusations levied against Brady, and the Organization....